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Bowls Roundup

Wildcats lose, Whalen injured

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- James Mungro rushed 12 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns as Syracuse rallied for a 20-13 victory over Kentucky on Wednesday in the Music City Bowl.

The Orangemen (7-5), who ended the season by losing four of their final five games, trailed 10-0 in the first quarter as Kentucky (6-6) looked ready to hand Syracuse a third straight bowl blowout.

But the Wildcats lost All-American tight end James Whalen to a dislocated right elbow at the end of the first quarter, and their offense stalled.

Syracuse still had trouble, however. Kentucky stopped two drives by blocking field goal attempts and was headed for its first bowl victory since the 1984 Hall of Fame game when Marc Samuel's 35-yard field goal made it 13-7 with 10:39 remaining.

The Orangemen responded with their best drive of the game, going 77 yards in four plays capped by Mungro's first TD, a 32-yarder up the middle and a 14-13 lead.

The sophomore padded the lead when Kentucky, anxious to regain possession inside the last two minutes, allowed him to score on a 20-yard run with 1:42 to play. Syracuse tried to make that strategy backfire by going for a 2-point conversion and a 9-point lead, but the attempt failed.

Kansas St. holds off Huskies

SAN DIEGO -- Jonathan Beasley, the overlooked quarterback, turned out to be the star in another wild Holiday Bowl.

The Kansas State junior scored three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 1-yard run with 5:58 left to cap a monster 92-yard, 20-play drive as the No. 7 Wildcats rallied to beat Washington 24-20 on Wednesday night.

Washington's Marques Tuiasosopo, who this season became the first major college quarterback to pass for 300 yards and run for 200 in a same game, was 18-of-27 for 197 yards with one interception and ran 11 times for 30 yards as the prime target of the Kansas State defense.

Martin back at practice

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin is recovering from the viral infection that struck him and several members of his family but says he'll be ready for his final collegiate game Sunday night against Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl.

UT coach getting raise

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer is about to become a millionaire.

Tennessee president J. Wade Gilley will recommend that the school's Board of Trustees give Fulmer a one-year extension to his current six-year contract that will push his pay to $1.05 million a year.

Lucas sidelined at practice

DALLAS -- Wide receiver Anthony Lucas did not participate Wednesday as Arkansas practiced in pads for the third straight day, but the head coach and the team trainer were not concerned.

Lucas, who set a Southeastern Conference record by averaging 21 yards per catch for the Razorbacks, practiced Monday and Tuesday. He was injured against LSU on Nov. 26 and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Dec. 10.

Coach Houston Nutt said Lucas could be in on at least half the plays when the Razorbacks (7-4) meet Texas (9-4) in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.

LB's mom says he's gone

SAN ANTONIO -- LaVar Arrington, who helped lead Penn State to an Alamo Bowl victory, appears ready to leave school a year early for the NFL.

The junior All-American and winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker is expected to announce soon if he will enter the draft in April.

His mother, Carolyn Arrington, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette her son will say this week he is leaving Penn State. She said the announcement will come at his high school -- North Hills High School in Pittsburgh.

Walters to miss Rose Bowl

LOS ANGELES -- Troy Walters cried when he realized his dream of playing in the Rose Bowl would go unfulfilled.

Stanford's All-American receiver dislocated his right wrist in practice Tuesday while running a catching drill. He wore a polo shirt, glasses and a heavy wrap on his wrist as he watched his teammates work out on Wednesday.

''It's finally sinking in right now,'' said Walters, tears welling in his eyes.